All tagged History of tech
Arguably the first ever “thought leader” to make a tangible impact on the business world, Tom Peters burst onto the scene with the immensely-influential book he co-wrote in 1981: In Search of Excellence. A purveyor of what he calls “extreme humanism,” Tom’s career journey has given him a vantage point few can equal. In this episode, Tom returns to discuss life—and his new book, Tom Peters’ Compact Guide to Excellence, a collection of quotes he developed in collaboration with iconic designer Nancye Green.
When Linden Lab’s Second Life debuted in 2003, few anticipated just how much it would popularize the concept of the metaverse. That’s certainly true for James Au, a freelance tech writer who was hired by the company to report on the platform and its users shortly after its launch—by becoming an avatar within the virtual world himself. Listen as he recounts the early days of the platform, how it foreshadowed many of today’s toxic social media issues, and why so many have returned to it during the pandemic.
When Heidi Williams entered the tech world in the 90s, she was mostly focused on developing the latest offerings from a major software company. If only things would’ve remained that simple. In this episode, Heidi recounts her experiences learning the industry’s business side in the most difficult circumstances, what it’s like to have a flagship product killed off practically overnight, and tips on navigating through substantial changes in a tech company.
While the ability to send data across the earth in seconds has completely changed our civilization, it’s also had some profound consequences that are nowhere near being settled. In this second of two episodes, Bob Alberti continues an enlightening conversation about the progression of the internet he himself had a key role in shaping and where it stands today. Listen as Bob discusses the difficulties of data security and combatting disinformation and closes by offering a helpful bit of career advice.
Ever wonder what the internet was like before it was, you know, the internet? It was actually more similar to today than you may think. Chat rooms, emails, multiplayer network games, search queries—those all existed in the 1970s. And Bob Alberti was right there in the middle of it all, helping to craft it into the version we all use now. In the first of two episodes, hear Bob talk about what computer tech was like during the earliest internet days, and how Minnesota was home to the original Silicon Valley.
Some people have a gift for seeing things from a higher perspective—noticing how factors intercept to create trends, waves of public thought, and society-altering changes. Howard is one of these people. We could call him a prophet, a thinker, certainly a writer, but we’ll call him what he calls himself: an independent instigator and observer. This is a must-listen episode that explores how the human mind, belief in the future, technology—and yes, psychedelics—all connect.
Mar Hicks, Associate Professor of History at Illinois Institute of Technology, drops in to talk about the history of technology and how algorithmic bias has evolved over the years. They discuss topics from how women were purposefully excluded from the tech industry to how transgender algorithmic bias began in the 70’s. Mar shares insights about bias in tech that you have probably experienced but might have only given a passing thought.
